Just recently I had a bit of a problem in my mouth. Some kind of swelling near the back where you might expect wisdom teeth to be. To take action against this I brushed my teeth more thoroughly.
This seemed to work. I was also tempeted to start using mouthwash but didn’t.
Here is my question: Do you use mouthwash?
Do you actually notice the difference and if so in what way. If it’s merely a fresher breath experience then I’ll probably not bother, but if you find that you get noticably cleaner teeth I may well have to give it a go.
Also if you don’t use mouthwash, why not?
It is a question I was going to pose to my friends but I thought I’d open it up to the wider forum that is the internet (or my friends but without the cost of a phone call).
randomtask 
Well, brushing does your teeth, but what does the rest of you mouth like the inside of your cheeks or that bit back near the tonsils?
I think the only way to be sure is to snort half a measure of mouthwash through each nostril to fully cleanse the entire sinus genre.
Good point, I never looked at it like that. Although I’m still not convinced about the cleaning power of mouthwash and it’s antibacterial nature.
Maybe I’ll just have to try it and see.
Any more comments wecome (trying to drum up enthusiasm here)
Really mouth wash is an oral rinse that does aid in the killing of germs, preventing plaque and fighting gum disease gingivitis. Brushing does do a lot of surface work but the mouthwash helps with the areas that you do not brush (as Pete noted).
In regards to your recent swelling, I would definitely recommend a trip to the dentist. This could be a sign of gingivitis, especially if your gums bleed a bit when brushing in the back area. However, in addition to your daily brushing and mouth wash, I would also suggest regular flossing. Flossing has quite a few benefits as well and the combination of the three practices will ensure healthier oral hygiene.
Well thank you Laura for your concern, but no need to worry, the swellings gone already.
As for the mouthwash, I’ve decided to give it a go. Interesting to see that one American stereotype holds true: The extreme fastidiousness when it comes to oral hygiene. I don’t think I’ll go as far as flossing though, I find it quite uncomfortable, what with my squashed up teeth (British stereotype, yay!).